Airway physiotherapy deals with disorders in breathing and physiologic processes of the respiratory system. It attempts to improve the airways by either stretching them or manipulating them. The goal is to open up air passages and prevent obstruction of airways, and improve breathing.
I'm comparing two products I wish were available when my parents needed them. The design of both products is to improve breathing and airway disorders.
They are the AirPhysio OPED or Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure device and The Breather, both of which share a similar goal of breathing improvement and a better quality of life.
Our Verdict - Which One Is Better?
In my opinion, both products serve their purpose well. The Breather makes you work for your gains with its resistive muscle therapy (RMT). It builds your peripheral respiratory muscles to get you back breathing normally again.
The AirPhysio OPEP device uses a clever concept to encourage clearing your air passages within your lungs by using oscillation to create pressure that pulls mucus up to your throat, and your natural reflex to cough takes over.
Comparison Table
Product | Editors Choice AirPhysio  | The Breather  |
Price | $59.99 | $69.99 |
Where to Buy | ||
Symptoms that reduces | Asthma, Atelectasis, Bronchiectasis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – Emphysema and Chronic Bronchitis, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema and many more respiratory conditions. | COPD, CHF, dysphagia, and neuromuscular disease. |
All Natural | Yes  | N/A |
Portable | Yes  | Yes  |
Drug & Chemical Free | Yes  | Yes  |
Refill Free | Yes  | N/A |
Battery Free | Yes  | N/A |
Time | Approx. 5 - 10 mins 1-2 times per day | 6 days a week - 2 sessions per day (morning and evening), 2 sets of 10 breaths per session with a few minutes rest between sets if needed. |
Multiple users | Multiple user filter available sperately | NO |
Who can use? | Children, Adults, Elderly, Smokers, Swimmers & Deep Sea Divers, Athletes, Singers, Wind Instrument Musicians. | adults, elderly, children, smokers, swimmers, athletes, singers and more. |
Easy to use | Yes  | Yes  |
Dimensions | 1.97 x 1.38 x 5.12 inches | 5.1 x 1.7 x 1.8 inches |
Manufacturer | AirPhysio Pty Ltd | PN Medical |
Country of origin | Australia | US |
Money Back Guarantee | 45 Days | N/A |
Warranty | 1 Year | N/A |
Shipping Information & Time | USA = 3-5 days & $5.99 or FREE | Check on Amazon |
Learn more |
What is AirPhysio?
What we like
- Uses oscillating positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) to assist in mucus clearance and lung expansion
- Maximizes lung volume
- Vibrating steel ball within device encourages purging of mucus from air passages in the lungs
- Treats patients with asthma, bronchiectasis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
- Prevents the lungs from collapsing either partially or entirely (atelectasis)
What we don't like
- A little bit expensive
- Hard to disassemble
The company AirPhysio, short for Air Physiotherapy, created a device known as an oscillatory positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) device, that assists and utilizes a natural procedure in managing mucous clearance, lung expansion, and secretion.
They created the device to decrease breathing conditions caused by asthma symptoms, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, and bronchiectasis in a more straightforward, drug-free way. All these conditions lower the body's capability to eliminate infected mucous from the lungs. A research study discovered that asthma reduces lung capacity by 5-25ml per year and might decrease your lifespan.
The device uses OPEP and vibration to help facilitate the mucus' loosening within the air passages to allow for easier secretion. Some of the functions the device help with:
- COPD Clearance
- Helps promote lung function and clear air passages
- Assists in encouraging utilization of other parts of the lung
- Helps lower the creation of mucus during infection
- Removes more toxins and irritants
- Promotes lung health, lowering the threat of new infections
Does AirPhysio Work?
AirPhysio works by helping your body clear accumulated mucus in the lungs, thereby increasing lung function. People who love AirPhysio talk about how easy it was for the device to free up mucus, allowing them to cough it up and clear their lungs.
Some also say that, despite nebulizer treatments and various medications, nothing compares to AirPhysio, and its simplicity. Others claim even little exercise like walking up a few steps caused them to start wheezing and feeling winded. Finally, they say, after a few tries, they were able to clear up their lungs.
I'll leave the decision up to you if AirPhysio works, but based on the information I found, it seems that it does work, and well.
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How to Use AirPhysio
The AirPhysio device is easy to use, and with practice, you can become proficient. If you're healthy and intend to use AirPhysio to maintain your ability to breathe easier, here is an effective breathing exercise before starting exercise or training:
- Always relax and remember the correct posture and position before starting
- Inhale slowly beyond your normal breathing without filling your lungs
- Hold your breath for two or three seconds
- Place the AirPhysio in your mouth and exhale normally, but don't empty your lungs
- Adjust tilt to obtain the maximum amount of vibrations within your chest while keeping your cheeks stiff
- Repeat the above steps for at least five to ten breaths
Here are detailed instructions to use the AirPhysio device for regular use:
Draw in a deep, abdominal breath into your lungs, paying attention to filling them completely. Now, hold your breath for two or three seconds.
With the AirPhysio device in your mouth, exhale quickly and consistently, but without pushing too hard. Try to keep the exhale time about three to five seconds until your lungs empty. Remember to perform this without exerting too much force because your lung muscles may feel tight and uncomfortable.
Keep in mind that most people have no difficulty getting the oscillating action started, but some find it takes a little practice initially. After your lungs reach normal capacity, you will find it easier to lift the ball bearing off the cone to start oscillation.
Next, adjust the AirPhysio, so the cap faces upward, then tilt until you feel maximum vibrations inside your chest. Try to keep your cheeks stiff to help increase and strengthen the vibrations.
After you exhale, you may notice mucus-forming at the top, near your lungs, or at the back of your throat. Go ahead and cough to rid the mucus from your lungs or throat. If you don't notice mucus-forming, it will continue working its way up to your throat when you can naturally swallow the remaining mucus.
It's best to repeat steps one through six about twice a minute up to five minutes, while taking two deep breaths between each session. That helps prevent you from feeling lightheaded.
Learn more about this device in our detailed airphysio review.
How to Clean AirPhysio
After using the AirPhysio device, you will need to clean it daily to remove moisture or mucous from the internal components created during use.
Disassembly is quick and easy once you know how. Please find the two windows; on one of them, see the small, raised spike used as a child safety lock.
Place the unit on a hard surface with the child safety lock facing up. Use a small, pointed object to release the child safety lock. Now, pick up the device and twist the cap about one-third of a turn to release it from the body.
Wash each part with warm water and mild detergent, rinse, and dry thoroughly. To sanitize the device, wipe the parts with standard 60 percent isopropyl rubbing alcohol, and confirm all parts are dry, and reassemble.
What is the Breather?
Pros
- Uses resistive muscle therapy (RMT) to strengthen respiratory muscles
- Helps improve normal breathing
- Ok for use by healthy individuals to maintain healthy breathing
- Patient can rest idle in any position for use
- Adjustable resistance settings
Cons
- Some customers say the device breaks easily
- Challenging to become proficient in its use
- Non-returnable regardless of the reason
- Physically challenged cannot operate dials
The Breather is a device designed to improve airflow to the lungs as a respiratory trainer or breathing exerciser. Oxygen intake to the lungs and other organs improves as the lung strength increases. It is a drug-free therapy used to treat COPD, CHF, dysphagia, and neuromuscular illness.
Not only will the Breather help with these conditions, but athletes from all fields also use it to help them breathe better and, find the device makes their workouts more productive.
Does the Breather Work?
People using the Breather say it's effective in treating their breathing problems, and few mention difficulties otherwise. There are a few comments regarding the learning curve involved.
It seems the curve doesn't pose a problem for most people, and they explain that it takes a few tries to get the process correct. After several uses, their breathing begins to improve noticeably.
Persons accustomed to working out also enjoy the benefits from the Breather. An overall improvement in breathing and learning how to breathe properly helps people regardless of their current respiratory status.
How to Use the Breather
The Breather RMT enhances both the inhaling and exhaling muscles, improving the effectiveness of speech and swallowing. The best method to utilize the Breather is to:
- Sit upright with the Breather in-between your lips
- Inhale and out of The Breather using your diaphragm
- Turn the inhale and exhale dials to a setting that allows you to perform ten breaths without breathing hard as if you're out of breath or puffing your cheeks. The inhale dial has settings of 1-6, and the exhale dial has settings of 1-5 to help with this.
If those ten breaths end up being too simple, you need to increase the inhale settings or exhale dials individually. Consequently, you must minimize these numbers if you have not been using the Breather for a while for any factor such as health problems.
When using the Breather six days a week with two sessions daily, be sure to perform the steps in the early morning and at night with two sets of ten breaths per session.
How to Clean the Breather
What makes this breathing muscle training device even better is the following simple technique for keeping it tidy. Because there will be saliva present, keeping the Breather in peak working condition is essential by giving it a good cleaning. Cleaning up is an easy five-step procedure that consists of:
- Remove the Breather from the mouthpiece
- Wash the Breather with moderate soap and warm water
- After cleaning, shake and wash off excess water, and towel dry the outside
- Breathe in and out of the Breather with power, then place both settings on one to remove any residual moisture seals
- Dry the device in an area without high humidity
One important suggestion is do not use the dishwasher to clean up the Breather. The dishwasher can hurt the diaphragm and cause damage. Work carefully with your medical professional or breathing therapist to get the most out of the Breather Respiratory Muscle Training Device (RMT).
Differences Between AirPhysio Vs The Breather
While the AirPhysio OPEP device and the Breather seek to improve breathing in persons with certain conditions preventing normal lung function, many healthy people use either device to maintain their existing clear and easy breathing level.
They do have differences, and the following comparison should shed light on those differences, which will help you decide which is best for you.
The Breather works to strengthen the respiratory muscles, including the diaphragm, intercostal muscles, and abdominal muscles. The object is a return to normal, healthy breathing and reducing or eliminating breathlessness. It uses resistive muscle therapy (RMT) to help increase the respiratory muscle system's strength.
The AirPhysio OPEP device uses an oscillating steel ball within, designed to create vibration in the chest area to loosen mucus from passages in the lungs and help with lung expansion. The mucus moves up to the throat from the lungs, and the patient initiates a cough, expelling or swallowing the mucus naturally.
With the continual development and increase in technology, gadgets, and gizmos, Amar never has a dull day researching new gadgets. Being an enthusiastic gamer, traveler, soccer lover, and avid car driver means that he always looks for the next cool thing to try out.
Thank you for this thorough comparison! My mother is suffering with Lung Cancer and COPD, with lots of mucus daily and a chronic cough also. I was debating between both of these items specifically and have more clarity as to which was is best (Air Physio) for her with her specific conditions. Since mucus clearing is top priority, we're going to try the Air Physio to start. Thank you again for providing this comparison!